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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: mark · kick · lie · fan · spring · stick · race · safe

  1. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  24. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. race — humankind
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. lie — to recline
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. race — a contest
  12. mark — a grade
  13. spring — a coil
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. mark — a trace
  18. race — the arms race
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. spring — the season
  24. spring — of water

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com